Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. BROWN. OAR COUPLING. No. 434,763. Patented Aug. 19, 1890.

I w M J A l mm H @rIm'ilF (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. P. BROWN.

GAR COUPLING. No 434,763. Patented Aug. 19, 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERRY BROIVN, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,763, dated August19, 1890.

Application filed December 4, 1889- Serial No. 332,566. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERRY BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State ofKentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This improvement relates to that class of car-couplings termed twin-jawcouplings; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction,arrangement, and combinations of parts, hereinafter described, and thendefinitely claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a side view of the end of acar provided with my coupling. Fig. 2 shows an end view of the same.Fig. 3 shows a plan of the same; Fig. 4, a central longitudinal verticalsection of the coupling; Fig. 5, a vertical section through the line 00won Fig. 4; Fig. 6, a similar section with a modified form of pin;,Fig.7, another form of locking-pin.

Referring now to the details of construction in the drawings, Arepresents the end of the car, and B the coupling, which may be attachedin any desired manner. This coupling is preferably provided with a lugG, which is hollowed out to receive one end of a spring D, whose otherend is set in a recess in a casting E, attached to the dead-wood F orany convenient part of the car.

The coupling is of that class commonly known as the Janney coupling, inwhich there is a clutch, as G, and a horn or projection B to prevent thecoupling moving sidewise and thus becoming unlocked, and is providedwith a pin and a link in addition to the clutches normally employed.

1 will first describe the construction of the clutch and the manner ofsecuring the same in its locked position and afterward the constructionof the link-and-pin connection.

The essential feature of my invention is the making of the clutch Gwithout any lockingarm, whereby more room is obtained for thelink-and-pin coupling. I prefer to make the clutch with projecting hubsg at top and bottom, which fit into recesses h in the ears H, formingpart of the coupling, by which means much of the strain is removed fromthe pin I when the coupling is in use. The lower part of the pin I isround, so as to allow the clutch to turn on it when it (the pin) israised; but its upper partt' is oblong in shape, so as to fit intorecesses out or formed in the coupling and upper part of the clutch, asshown in Fig. 5.

Instead of making the pin in the form shown in Fig. 5, I may make it asshown in Fig. 6, which is very similar to that shown in Fig. 5 but theupper part is not quite so long in cross-section, and so the clutch isnot cut through, and it is held entirely by the ear H, while in Fig. 5the pin acts also in the body of the coupling. In some cases I prefer tomake the upper part of the pin square, as shown in Fig. 7, so as to fitin a square hole in the ear. Each of these pins may be considered theequivalent of the others; but I prefer that shown in Fig. 5.

Thelowerendof the pin is preferablyformed with an eye 2" to receive anarm .I, which is connected with a shaft j, running from one side of thecar to the other and provided with handles j, by which means the pin Imay be raised, and when raised the clutch will swing on the pin, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Instead of having the eye on the bottomof the pin it may be at the top, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1; butI prefer to have it at the bottom, as it prevents the accidentaldisplacement of the pin. For freight-cars I prefer to attach a verticalrod J to the arm J, so that the cars may be uncoupled from the top. Thelower ear h is preferably formed with a recess in its under side toreceive a spring is, which will aid the weight of the pin in forcing thelatter downward; but this may be dispensed with.

As before stated, this coupling is designed so as to be used either witha corresponding coupling on another car or with an ordinary link, whichis coupled by means of a pin L, preferably suspended from an arm M,connected with the shaft N, having handles n at its ends, by which thepin may be lifted, as desired, to uncouple the car when the ordinarylinkis used. At 0 is shown an upwardlyprojecting lug, which is normally notin use; but should it be desired to prevent the cars from coupling aslight cndwise movement of the shaft N will push the arm M over the topof the lug O, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and thus the pin willhang from the arm and cannot descend.

When it is desired to couple the cars with an ordinary link the armshould be as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, and with the pin resting ona pivoted dog P, (see Fig. 4,) so that when the link passes into themouth of the coupling it will strike the dog P and the pin will thenfall through the link and thus couple the cars in a manner wellunderstood.

By the use of the recesses h opening at the side of the ears, theprojecting hubs g on the clutch, and a pivotal pin, the clutch can heslipped in from the side and retained in place by the pin and yet havethe advantage of the strength of thehnbs added to that of the pin,

as the strain on the hubs on the ears is'toward the front of therecesses or cars and not sidewise.

By the construction above set forth I not only leave more room for thelink when coupling with an ordinary link, but I dispense with the usuallocking device generally used with these couplings, and, moreover, Imake very strong and convenient couplings that can be coupled oruncoupled with perfect safety from either side or the top of the car.

Vhat I claim as new is- 1. The combination, in a coupling, of a swingingpivoted clutch and a pivotal pin therefor having its shank of diiferentdiameters in diiferent portions of its length constructed to secure theclutch in the locked to prevent the latter turning on the pin,substantially as described.

4. The combination, ina twin-jaw coupling, of a clutch, a pivotal pintherefor constructed to secure the clutch in a locked position, andmeans, as the arm J, for raising the pin to unlock the clutch,substantially as described.

5. The combination, in a twin-jaw coupling, of a clutch, a pivotallocking-pin therefor, an arm J, connected to the pin, shaft j, carryingsaid arm, and the handles j, connected to the shaft, substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination, in a coupling, of a clutch having projecting hubs gand a pair of ears provided with recesses opening sidewise to admit thehubs, and a pivotal pin, as I, passing through the ears and clutch toretain said clutch in the recesses, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with acoupling having the lug C, of the recessedcasting l and spring D, substantially as described.

8. A twinjaw coupling having ears II II disconnected at their outerends, and a horn B, in combination with a single-armed clutch having oneend pivoted in the ears and constructed and arranged to swing outwardclear of the face of the coupling, and provided with a recess withinsaid end to receive a locking device, substantially as shown, and forthe purpose specified.

9. A twin-jaw coupling having cars II disconnected at their outer ends,and a horn l3 opposite said ears, in combination with a clutch havingarounded hinged end, a recess for locking the same contained within thecurve of said end, and a locking device fitting in said recess,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERRY BROWN. Witnesses:

J os. N. LARRABEE, JOHN R. DOUGHAN.

